The wonderful Letham Grange Resort plays host to BIGGA's National Tournament in association with Scotts/Miracle in August. As Scott MacCallum found out it should proved to be a event not to be missed...

If there is one nasty habit of which sports writers New Barry John" or "The Next Gareth Edwards", or are guilty -1 can hear the incredulous cries of "Only there is a middle order batsman who can bowl a bit One!" - it's labelling. and all of a sudden he sees his name in the papers How often have we heard about "The Next as "The New Botham"? George Best!" A young guy called Peter Marinello In golf the list of players who have struggled to laboured under that burden with a spectacular lack live up to being called "The New Nicklaus" or "The of success for Arsenal in the 70s, while Ryan Giggs Golden Bear Cub?" is embarrassingly long - Johnny has come a little closer to living up to the billing... Miller and Ben Crenshaw at least won a few Majors and at least plays for the same team. Isn't Ronaldo but the likes of Hal Sutton and Scott Verplank, to supposed to be "The New Pele"? put it mildly, didn't get very far in the chase to How many times have Wales come up with "The match Nicklaus' 18 Major Championships. At least • T H EW NATIONAL HEAD TURNING golf tournament PERFORMANCE THE NEW ALLEN LRT2300 MULTI ANGLED HEDGECUTTER

s Nothing compares or >. competes with the new iSj^ Allen LRT2300 long J handled multi angled ; hedgecutter.With its 61" shaft, even high or wide bushes are A^ The real secret of the always within' §1 LRT2300, however, lies in its | your reach. M 90° articulating gearbox and infinitely variable cutting arc which makes shaping, they had the same colour of hair! be able to see how Malcolm came However, another subject of to that conclusion. trimming and topping so easy. journalistic "labelling" in the golf Sure, the real Augusta, in world hasn't suffered from the Georgia, offers so much that can't I • 18" double sided, double same damp squibb fate as some of possioly be matched by this little a reciprocating cutting blade those mentioned and has, in fact, corner of , but it would m • 22.5cc dual piston ring engine actually enjoyed its comparison be a very unforgiving eye which * • Vibration reducing engine mounts with a more illustrious cousin. could not see some similarities. and handles About 12 years ago a former "I believe the spirit of the quota- • See-through fuel tank boss of mine, Malcolm Campbell,- tion was that Letham Grange felt like Augusta rather than that we - Hands are kept away he was Editor of Golf Monthly - travelled to Angus with three were trying to duplicate it. It is from the trim blades times Open Champion, Henry designed as a tribute to Augusta," Cotton, who had been invited to explained Resort Manager Gordon open a new golf course. Kingsford-Smith. When he came to write about Having said that there are indi- Letham Grange, near , vidual holes which have a more Malcolm labelled it "The Augusta than passing resemblance to their of Scotland". Many people scoffed transatlantic relations. For exam- but Malcolm did speak with a ple the 2nd is a short par three level of authority. He'd visited guarded by a lake which is an hundreds of golf courses during obvious close relation to the 16th his journalistic career, including which has seen so much drama at Augusta National, and his opinion Augusta. was one which was genuinely held. But is is not just Augusta from Visiting Letham Grange, which which Letham Grange draws its this year plays host to BIGGA's inspiration. The run of three holes National Tournament, in associa- between the 8th and 10th have tion with Scotts/Miracle, you will been compared to the run of 10th,

PHONE THE 24 HOUR BROCHURE LINE OR FILL IN THE COUPON BELOW 0845 60 10 815 NAME:

ADDRESS:

POSTCODE: TEL NO

Allen Power Equipment Ltd. The Broadway, Didcot, Oxon OX I I 8ES For Sales & Service Tel: (01235) 515400 Fax: (01235) 515401 New Head Greenkeeper 'David Mathie' with Resort Manager Gordon Kingsford Smith 11th and 12th on the Jack also hands on when it came to the Don't Just Nicldaus course at St Mellion construction of the golf course which was home to the Benson working closely with the then and Hedges International Open Head Greenkeeper, Jim Grainger. Knock 'em Back ~ for several years. It is also possible "The trees that were already on to spot influences from Pinehurst the Estate had been there for 300- and its relatively near neighbour, 400 years and they just happened Knock 'em Out! Gleneagles. to be in the right place for the The Old Course at Letham holes which Ken had designed. He Greenor* and Bastion T* control a wide range of Grange is superb and within a cou- used what nature had provided," weeds and give outstanding control where ple of years of opening featured in explained Gordon. Golf World's top 50 courses in the There are only three or four Daisies, Slender Speedwell and other difficult to country. A remarkable feat. holes on the Old Course which control broad leaved weeds are a problem. All the more remarkable when don't feature water to a greater or you consider that it was designed lesser degree with several requiring Extensively trialled with proven performance, the not by an Alister MacKenzie, a a carry over water to make the high strength of Greenor and Bastion T means Jack Nicklaus, a Tom Fazio or a green. low application rates and fast absorption with Donald Steel. Letham Grange was The new Head Greenkeeper, excellent safety - even to young grass. Advanced designed by Ken Smith. David Mathie, only took over the micro-emulsion technology increases herbicide Now don't waste time searching reins at the beginning of April but through Golf Architect directories there was no disguising the excite- activity, simplifies application and improves for his name or to discover where ment he felt as he spoke a few spray performance. else carries the Ken Smith stamp. days before starting work. You won't find anything. With the Old, and the slightly Greenor and Bastion T are both part of the wide Ken was a potato farmer whose shorter but still impressive New range of Mascot selective herbicides - so dream it was to transform a Course, to manage David has whatever needs to be knocked out there is sure Victorian mansion into a luxury already formulated his five year to be a formulation that's exactly right for you. hotel and built his own golf plan. course. He was no more than an "I am going to go around the enthusiastic amateur when it came course hole by hole and assess The MASC#T Turf Care Range to designing golf courses but he is what is required but I know that obviously one of those people who I'm going to do quite a bit of Fungicides White lining materials is a natural. Someone who could rebunkering to give the courses a Herbicides & equipment probably juggle five balls while his bit more of a Scottish feel to Fertilizers Tools little chums were still learning to them," said David, who arrived Top Dressings & Composts Golf Course equipment catch, recite Rabbie Burns while from Strathmore Golf Centre hav- everyone else was still chanting ing previously worked in the the Grass Seeds nursery rhymes and no doubt South East. Fie is a former student FREE 0800 424 919 played to scratch within two of Sparsholt College. weeks of taking up golf. "I also intend to undertake a big Letham Grange would defy any- conservation project planting 8 - one to mark it down as the work 10,000 trees ana, working along- of anyone other than a seasoned side Jonathan Smith, bring in con- professional. servation areas," explained David, "He actually went to America who also promises some fine, Greenor - contain s Fluroxypyr , Clopyrali d an MCPA . MAF F No 0784 8 and visited the top golf courses, quick greens for August and the * T M o f DowAgroScience s Alway s rea d th e label . Us Pesticide Safely Bastio n T * contain Fluroxypy r an Mecoprop-P MAF F No 0601 1 your perfect partners brought back ideas and put them National Tournament players. Rigby Taylor Ltd, all together at Letham Grange," Letham Grange now has new Rigby Taylor House, Garside Street, Bolton, Lanes BL1 4AE said Gordon. owners who are keen to give the Tel: 01204 394888 Fax: 01204 398379 Not only that, Ken Smith was resort a major lift. "There is so much to offer in this and blessed by a Buddhist Priest, come home. It's a nice tale." haven of peace for our visitors - an area," said Gordon. "As well as our who was also the landscape archi- Letham Grange has another ideal place to unwind." said own courses we are in easy reach of tect," explained Gordon, who unique feature in that it has the Gordon. Rosemount, , Down- added that they were giving away only curling rink in the world You can't but agree and the field, Montrose, Strathmore and little pieces of the stones and ask- which boasts chandeliers for light- opportunity to pit your wits against Monifeith to name just a few while ing the recipients to pass on any ing the Course that Ken Built and is under an hour away. tales of good fortune which had ' This was another innovation enjoy everything that Letham "We are also sold out for the week occurred since. from Ken Smith who built the four Grange has to offer is one not to be of next year's Carnoustie Open "Amazingly two weeks after they lane curling rink in the function missed. Championship," he revealed. were blessed the Queen announced suite. It goes down in October and One of the innovations brought the return to Scotland of the Stone stays until March and the chande- in by the new owners have been the of Destiny, which had been in liers are a nice quirk." Stones of Good Fortune which are Arbroath Abbey for hundreds of That function suite can seat 500 scattered strategically around the years. people and it will be the venue for course and now feature in the "In a small way we felt involved the banquet on the Tuesday of the Resort's logo. and some of the staff went to National Tournament. "These were put down in 1996 Edinburgh to watch the Stone "We feel that Letham Grange is a

Think Arbroath and for many what immediately Dan! It also has Shaw's Dundee Sweet Factory, comes to mind is the Arbroath Smokie - the deli- Camperdown Park with its Wildlife Centre and the cious smoked fish which is cured in smoke-houses superb Olympia Leisure Centre complete with five close to Arbroath Harbour. waterslides, waves and spa pool. A few miles away in Forfar they also lay claim to Glamis Castle, childhood home of the Queen their own delicacy - the Forfar Bridie - a magnifi- Mother, is only a few miles from Letham Grange cent cross between a pie and a pastie. and is open to the public. Arbroath has a fine football team which plies its trade in the Scottish Third Division. What it is More Information can be obtained from famous for, however, is having the coldest ground Arbroath Tourist Information Centre Tel: 01241 in Britain. Visit Gayfield Park and freeze! 872609 Fax: 01241 878550 or the Angus & The proclaiming Dundee Tourist Board Tel: 01382 434664 Fax: Scotland's independence was signed in Arbroath 01382 434665 E-mail: [email protected] Abbey in 1320 and the Stone of Destiny was Website: http://www.angusanddundee.co.uk FACTFILE housed in the Abbey for hundreds of years before Letham Grange is 4 miles from Arbroath being taken to . It is now back in Scotland, Anyone who wishes to stay at the wonderful Arbroath is 8 miles from Carnoustie in Edinburgh Castle. Letham Grange Hotel to be on hand for all the Arbroath is 17 miles from Dundee Dundee is the nearest city to Letham Grange and activities of the National Tournament, in associa- Arbroath is 40 miles from Perth can offer a wide range of attractions. Originally tion with Scotts/ Miracle should contact BIGGA Arbroath is 70 miles from Edinburgh known as the City of the three Js - Jam, Jute and Headquarters. Arbroath is 98 miles from Glasgow Journalism it is now the City of Discovery as it is Arbroath is 250 miles from York home to Captain Scott's famous ship upon which Angus and Dundee Tourist Board Advance Arbroath is 350 miles from Birmingham he made his first polar expedition, and is also the Booking number for all types of other accommoda- Arbroath is 450 miles from London birthplace of Dennis the Menace and Desperate tion in the area is 01382 434664.